Knocked down or folding structure made from acetate sheeting or the like



M ay l 1951 R. M. BERGSTEIN KNOCKED DOWN OR FOLDING STRUCTURE MADE FROM Filed; Sept. 6, 1946 ACETATE SHEETING OR THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ROBERT 'monms BERGSTEIN ATTORN EYS.

y 1951 R. M. BERGSTEIN 2,551,090

KNOCKED DOWN 0R FOLDING STRUCTURE MADE FROM I ACETATE SHEETING OR THE LIKE '5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 6, 1946 INVENTOR R OBER T MORRIS BE RG5 TE IJV.

ATTOR N EYS.

May 1, 1951 R. M. BERGSTEIN KNQCKED DOWN OR FOLDING STRUCTURE MADE FROM ACETATE SHEETING OR THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 6, 1945 JNVENTOR ROBERT MORRIS BERGS TEIN.

kw ATTORNEXS.

y 1951 R. M. BERGSTEIN 2,551,090 KNOCKED DOWN 0R FOLDING STRUCTURE MADE FROM ACETATE SHEETING OR THE LIKE Filed Sept. 6, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 4' I lNV ENTOR 18.25, ROBERT MORRIS BERGSTEIN ATTORNEYS.

y 1, 1951 R. M. BERGSTEIN 2,551,090

KNOCKED DOWN 0R FOLDING STRUCTURE MADE FROM ACETATE SHEETING OR THE LIKE Filed Sept. 6, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. ROBERT nonms BERGSTEIN f-ronuz'vs.

Patented May 1, 1951 KNOCKED DOWN OR FOLDING STRUCTURE MADE FROM ACETATE SHEETING OR THE LIKE V Robert Morris Bergstein, Cincinnati, Ohio, as-

signor to Robert Morris Bergstein and Frank David Bergstein, trustees Application September 6, 1946, Serial No. 695,143

plastic is not a limitation on this invention, and I shall hereinafter refer to all of the kinds of relatively stiff and rigid sheet materials as set forth above by the term sheeting.

While, by reason of the readily formable characteristics of sheeting and the fact that joints may readily be made between parts by the use of applied adhesives or applied solvents, or sometimes by fusion, highly attractive and useful containers may be made of sheeting, these containers have hitherto been very expensive and by consequence have not attained the degree of general use warranted by the nature of the containers.

Not only is it costly in labor and equipment to make such containers, by methods involving heating and forming, but also, only set up or erected containers can be made in this fashion. Consequently, the user of such containers must install expensive equipment for their manufacture, or else the containers must be shipped by the manu facturer to the user in set up form at very high shipping costs per container.

The principles of the construction of knocked down or collapsed paperboard containers have hitherto not been applicable to containers made of sheeting. This is for the reason that, while sheeting may be readily bent or folded when heated, it acquires a permanent set in the folded condition, and if containers are made in this way, they cannot thereafter be collapsed or knocked down. If made in an initially collapsed condition, they cannot thereafter be erected. In a copending application, Serial No. 609,091, filed August 6, 1945, and entitled Cartons and Method of Making Them, now Patent No. 2,529,128, dated November 7, 1950, I have taught the manufacture of cartons in which a plurality of walls are of paperboard, but in which one wall comprises ,sheeting as astructural element of the carton.

These structures may be made in the knocked down form and may be erected by the user; but it 3 Claims. (Cl. 229-41) highly useful for many purposes, suffer from this limitation, and do not have the same appearance value as do containers having a plurality of contiguous wall sections formed uninterruptedly of sheeting.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide novel structures and means and methods of making them wherein the ideal of a container having a plurality of contiguous walls of sheeting is realized, the container, nevertheless, being collapsible and erectable. It is an object of this invention to provide ways whereby containers made of sheeting can be manufactured in the knocked down form rapidly and economically by techniques comparable in cost and speed to those hitherto employed for making knocked down paperboard cartons and containers.

It is an object of this invention to provid means and a method for making flexible or hinged joints between contiguous panels of sheeting in structures in the classes referred to, while preserving the essential appearance of structures having contiguous walls made entirely of sheet- These and other objects of the invention which will be set forth hereinafter or will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading these specifications, I accomplish in those structures, by the use of those mechanisms and in the practice of those procedures of which I shall now set forth certain exemplary embodiments.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: V I

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of an apparatus for forming a two-panel hinged or articulated structure of sheeting.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the articulated structure. 1

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a paperboard blank prepared for union with the struc ture. r

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the articulated structure joined to a paperboard blank.

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the erected tubular body.

.Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along the line l-! of Figure 6. c

Figure 8 is a similar view showing, however, a paperboard blank equipped with end closure members.

Figure 9 is a plan view of a paperboard blank for a container which is triangular in cross sec- Figure is a plan view of the collapsed tubular structure.

Figure 11 is a sectional view thereof taken along the line ll|l of Figure 10.

Figures 12 and 13 are respectively partial perspective views of the erected container, with the end open, and with the end closed.

Figure 14 is a diagrammatic plan view of an apparatus useful for forming a three-panel articulated structure.

Figure 15 is a perspective view of the threepanel structure itself.

Figure 16 is a perspective view of a paperboard blank with which the structure of Figure it? may be associated.

Figure 17 is a perspective view of a partially collapsed structure illustrating the assembly of the parts.

Figure 18 is a partialperspective view of the erected structure ready for end closure.

Figure 19 is a diagrammatic plan view of a mechanism operating in another fashion to form a three-panel articulated structure.

Figure 20 is a sectional view of such a structure taken along the line 2U20 of Figure 19.

Figure 21 is a semi-diagrammatic" plan view of a mechanism which may be employed to bead edge portions of articulated panel structures.

Figure 22 is a partial perspective View of a three-panel articulated structure with beaded edges.-

Figure 23' is a perspective view of a box top member incorporating a three-panel articulated structure of the type of Figure 22.

Figure 24 is a sectional View thereof of a two piece container showing a top member similar to that of 23, and a bottom member of paperboard.

Figure 25 is a plan view of a right angle machine for forming five-panel blanks of sheeting.

Figure 26 illustrates such a blank in perspectire.

Figure 27 is a diagrammatic elevational view of a machine for forming closed tubular structures, all of the enclosing body walls of which are of. sheeting.

Figure 28 is adiagrammatic plan view of a further section of the same machine.

Figure 29 is a partial perspective view of a four-sided collapsed tubular structure made of sheeting.

Figure 30 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a machine for forming tubular bodies of sheeting, where the panels are articulated, and where the cross section of the erected tubular structure is a: egular p ly n.

Figure 31 is a partial, perspective of a fourpanel tubular structure of this type.

Figure 32 is a partial perspective of an erected tubular structure and an end closure member.

Figure 33 is a sectional view of a V end closure taken along the line 33-33 of Figure 32.

Figure 34 is a partial perspective view of a container comprising a hexagonal tubular body formed of sheeting, and an appropriate end closure therefore.

In the practice of my invention, I form articulated panel structures from sheeting in a continuous fashion, by machine, and at relatively high speeds. Since it is not possible to score sheeting and achieve a flexible hinged joint along lines of articulation as is done with boxboard, I have found that the desired result may be obtained by forming panels separately and then articulating them together by means of a thin film of suitable substance, cemented to the panels, of substantially lesser thickness than the panels themselves, and of sufficient flexibility to form the desired line of articulation on which the structure may be rapidly folded or bent. Preferably, the strip of material by means of which I articulate adjacent panels of sheeting to each other is one of the thin amorphous and. flexible films such as are employed for forming flexible wrappings. Films of cellulosic derivatives such as, for example, cellophane are excellent for the purpose. The films may, if desired, be of the same substance as the sheeting itself, only thin enough to possess the required. bendability in conjunction with the relatively stiffer panels. Thus, I may use strips of thin cellulose acetate film with relatively thick acetate sheeting. The films or strips are preferably transparent in character. They may be adhered to edge portions of the panel in various ways, as for example, by the use of solvents capable of softening both the film and the sheeting, or by the use of cements (solvent-type, thermoplastic or both) and capable of adhering both to the film and to the sheeting. I prefer to use solvents or cements which themselves form transparent unions. A convenient mode of attaching the strips of film to the panels of sheeting is by the use of film strips precoated with pressure sensitive adhesive. Thus, a material similar to that known in the trade as Scotch tape on a transparent cellulose base is suitable for my purpose and has the advantage that satisfactory adhesion can be brought about by pressure alone, while the application of solvents or adhesives on machine together with the control of viscosity by temperature are not required.

When these conditions are met, a joint between adjacent panels along which the structure may be bent or folded is readily produced; and the joint is not visually obtrusive. A joint formed in this fashion by means of a transparent film between transparent panels of sheeting gives the general effect of a corner or angle formed by bending the sheeting itself, and the film even though lying on the outside of a structure is not particularly noticeable at a little distance. In structures Where the sheeting is highly colored or opaque, its color shows through the transparent 'film employed for hinging panels together and the joint is even less apparent.

In the practice of my invention, panel structures are formed without the necessity of assembling and articulating separate panels. I accomplish this by Withdrawing the sheeting from a roll or other eifective continuous supply and slitting it into sections in the machine of a width desired for the width of the novel panels. Immediately after the slitting operation, the film is applied over the lines of cut. Thereafter, I sever the sheeting into articulated panel structures of the desired length by cutting the composite in transverse directions.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, I have shown a supply of sheeting I being withdrawn from a roll 2. As the sheeting is pulled through amachine by means of pinch rolls 3 and 4, and while its position is being maintained by side guides 5 and 6, I slit it by means of a rotary knife 8 operating against an anvil roll 9. A narrow strip of film l0, such for example as the Scotch tape mentioned above, is withdrawn from a roll [2 and is brought and pressed into contact with the sheeting 1 over the line of cut thereon, by means of a pressure roll H5, or a pressure roll combina- 2| are formed at the sides of the structure, articulated to the walls l6 and I1 along score lines 22 and 23. A suitable adhesive may be applied to the glue. flaps as indicated in shading; the structure of Figure 3 may be deposited on the blank of Figure 4 and the glue flaps bent over to contact with and become adhered to the side .edges of the sheeting panels. The resultant tubed structure is shown in Figure 5.

The tubing operation as well as tubing. operations hereinafter described for assembling panel structures of boxboard or paperboard 'and panel structures of sheeting, may be accomplished on the usual paperboard carton folding and gluing equipment to which is added means for associating the paperboard and sheeting structures. However, when tubular boxes without end enclosures, as illustrated in Figures 5, 6, and 7, are desired, it is possible continuously to score a supply of boxboard, associate it with the slitted and articulated sheeting web I, bend over and adhesively secure the side edges of the paperboard and then simultaneousl cut the paperboard and sheeting to length by means of the fly knife l4, l5.

The tubular structure thus far described is illustrated in erected form in perspective and in section in Figures 6 and 7. It will be observed that one has two contiguous walls of sheeting and two contiguous walls of paperboard, but that 24 at its ends, while wall I! carries closure flaps 25,. the latter being provided with tuck flaps 26 and 21. The tuck flaps may merely be inserted within the tubular body, but they also may be adhered to the sheeting panels la and lbthrough an application of suitable cement.

Figures 9 to 13, inclusive, show the formation of a container which is triangular in cross section, and in which only the base portion and the end closures are of paperboard. A paperboard blank is provided comprising a; bottom panel 28 having lateral glue flaps 29 and 39. Triangular end closures 3l and 32 are articulated to the ends of the bottom panel. These end closures are provided with tuck flaps 34, 35, 36, and 31. The bottom panel and the triangular end closures are transversed by a medial fold line or score 38. The paperboard blank is bent on this medial score line; and a two-panel sheeting structure, such as illustrated in Figure 3, is bentalong its line of articulation. The two are associated together in a tubing operation as will be clear from Figures "10 and 11. The result is a knocked down structure which may be shipped to the user in flat form. The user will erect, pack and close the 7 structure as will be clear from Figure 12 and 13.

lower pressure roll (not shown).

The principles outlined above for the formation of articulated panel structures of sheeting, are applicable to the formation of structures containing as many articulated panels as may be desired. In Figure 14, I have shown a machine in which like parts have been given like index numerals, but in which there is a second slitting knife 39, a second roll of film substance 411, and a second pressure roll 4|. The result of the operation of these machine elements is the division of the web I of sheeting into three articulated panels la, lb and lo, the articulation between the last two of these panels being formed by the film strip 42.

A paperboard blank comprising a bottom panel 43, glue flaps 44 and 45, end closures 46 and 4'1, and tuck flaps 48, all in articulation, as shown in the Figure 16, may be prepared for use with the three-panel structure of Figure 16. If this structure be first bent along the line of articulation formed by the film strip lll, it may then be associated with the paperboard blank of Figure 16 as a knocked down structure. The glue flap is adhered to the free edge of panel la, while the glue flap 44 is bent over and adhered to the free edge of panel lc, as diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 17. The erected structure is shown in Figure 18. I

A variant method of making three-panel articulated structures is shown in Figure 19. The web of sheeting l is slit and articulated as in Figure 1; but a strip of the sheeting from a roll 49 is led upwardly to overlie the portion lb. Using additional side guides 50, 5| and 52 to maintain the positions of the elements, I may lead in my film strip -42 from the side and, bringing it against the edges of sheeting portions lb and lo by means of a roll 53, I may form it about the edges of panel portions lb and lo by a form ing device 54, thereafter pressing the structure by a pressure roll 55 which will operate against a In Figure 19, the dotted line 56 is indicative of the position of a fly knife or the like. The resultant articulated structure is illustrated in section in Figure 20 and differs from the structure in Figure 15 only in that the panel I0 is folded back against the panel lb, and the structure is in condition for joining to a blank such as that shown in Figure 16 in the way described above.

The principles of my invention are not confined to the manufacture of one piece knocked readily be carried on continuously as a part of as described in connection with Figure 14.

the continuous operations which I have described above. In Figure 21, a three-panel structure designated by like index numerals has been produced In a continuation of the machine, but ahead of the fly knife, I subject the side edges of the structure to edge heating means 51 and 58 followed by suitable turning means curved forming devices 53 and 5G or other suitable means operating to turn over these edges. Pressing roll combinations El and 62 follow the formers to complete the fold. The resultant articulated panel structure after having been severed by the fly knife, is shown tom, such as 69.

. made of sheeting. two pieces of sheeting 81 and 88 being Withdrawn 7 in Figure 22, the rolled'edges being indicated at 53 and 64. Such a structure is well adapted for the formation of a box top as shown in Figure 23. Here I may make use of end pieces comprising end panels 65 and attachment flaps 66, Bi, and 68. The parts of the lid may be shipped separately and in knocked down or collapsed condition. The end pieces may be of boxboard or other substance. The box user will assemble the lid structure by adhering the attachment flanges 66, 51, and 68, respectively, to the panels Ia, Ib, and I0. This may be accomplished without mechanism, even, if desired, without any mandrel or positioning means.

Figure 24 illustrates a box structure employing the lid of Figure 23 and a bottom element 69 of flanged type and with side and end walls of substantially less depth than the side and end walls of the lid or box top. Such bottom members are known in the carton art in various forms and may be set up by the user from blanks or may be made in the form of knocked down but erectable structures.

By a carrying forward of the principles of my invention, it is readily possible to produce fivepanel box structures similar to that illustrated in Figure 23, but with all panels formed of sheeting. In Figure 25 I have illustrated a right angle machine for this purpose. As in Figure 14, the sheeting l is withdrawn from a roll 2, slit by members e and 39 and taped as hereinabove described. Edge beading may be practiced or not, as desired. The treated structure is cut apart into desired panel lengths by the fly knife mechanism it, and the severed elements are delivered to a conveyor It moving at right angles to the first portion of the machine. As the elements move along on the conveyor Hi, they are gripped between that conveyor and an upper frictional member I! in their central portions, while their lateral edge portions are gripped by upper and lower friction belts or their equivalents I2 and I3.

Slitters "it and i5 now cut the element in a direc-' tion transverse that of the first slits. Film strips I6 and Il are withdrawn from rolls I8 and I9 and, by a timed tape applicator 8B, are applied to the element to cover only those portions of the last mentioned slits lying between the first mentioned slits. The resultant articulated structure is shown in fiat form in Figure 26 where it will be noted that at the end of panel Ib there are articulated end panel elements 8| and B2. Flap members 8d, 85, and 86 are articulated respectively to the ends of the end panels, but are free of any connection with side panels Ia and I0. This structure may be shipped in the flat form illustrated and when received by the user will require only a simple erecting operation in which panels Ia, 8i, I0, and 82 are bent at right angles to the top panel lb with the flaps 83 to B6 lying inside the side walls I a and I0 and adhered thereto by an application of solvent or suitable cement. This provides an all-sheeting structure which may, if desired, be used together with a box bot- It will be evident, however, that a box bottom may be made from a structure similar to that shown in Figure 26, and similarly produced, but of slightly different dimensions, providing a two-piece, all-sheeting, telescopic box.

Again, in the practice of my invention, it is possible to produce various types of tubed structures in knocked down form, comprising articulated, enclosing body walls all of which are In Figure 27, I have shown simultaneously from rolls 89 and 90. These strips of sheeting are independently slit by slitting means indicated at 9| and 92. The slit strips pass respectively above and below an anvil member 93. Film material 94 from a roll 95 is applied over the slit formed by slitter 9| and is pressed against the sheeting strip 81 by a pressure roll 556 operating against the anvil. The slit, similarly a film material 91, forming roll 98 is applied upwardly against the slitted strip 88 by a pressure roll 99 operating against the anvil. The two slitted and articulated strips are then brought together beyond the anvil by pinch rolls I00 and I In a continuation of this machine as shown in Figure 28, the side edges of the composite are bound with film strips I02, I03, from rolls I04 and I by means of formers I06 and I01, and a pinch roll combination I08. Thereafter, the composite may be severed into panel length as by means of fly knife apparatus diagrammatically indicated at I89. One resultant structure is illustrated-in Figure 29 as being a fiattened tube comprising panels 81a, 81b, 88a, and 88b. The structure may be erected into a rectangular tubular body. The relative sizes of the several panels may be controlled by adjustment of the slitting means 9I and 92.

A somewhat similar form of apparatus may be employed in the manufacture of tubular, allsheeting boxes of regular polygonal cross section. As in Figure 30, I may withdraw strips of sheeting II!) and III from rolls H2 and II3, bringing them together by pinch rolls H 3, H5 and passing them through one or more slitting means IE6 operating simultaneously to cut through both strips. Film material II"! and H8, withdrawn from rolls H9 and E28 may then be applied simultaneously along the slits from both sides by pressure rolls I2! and I22. A continuation of the machine will appear as in Figure 28, in which film material is applied to the side edges of the superposed treated strips. One structure so produced is shown in Figure 31 where the panels HM and Hill), HM. and NH) are articulated together by film strips I I1, I23, H8 and I24. This collapsed structure is erectable into the square tube shown in Figure 32 at 25 by using a plurality of slitting devices II'B; tubes having a different number of enclosing body walls may be formed.

An hexagonal tube is shown at I26 in Figure 34.

Any desired type of end closure may be employed with tubular structures as just described. Such closures may be boxboard members, but they also may be relatively shallow, stamped or molded plastic members formed of the same sheeting as the enclosing body walls or from some other plastic. Such closures are shown in Figures 32, 33 and 34 as comprising end closure walls I21 of suitable shape and the desired plurality of upstanding side walls I28 responding to the number of enclosing body walls of the tubular structure. They may or may not have beaded or molded edges I29. Such closures may be used in frictional engagement with the erected tubular boX, or they may be fastened in place by an application of solvent or cement. Because the end closure members are shallow in form, they take up little room in shipment and storage, while the tubular boxes are collapsible as has been set forth.

Thus, I am enabled to furnish cheaply allsheeting boxes in a wide variety of attractive and ornamental shapes which can be shipped to the user in collapsed condition and which require no machinery for erecting and closure.

Modifications may be made in, my invention without departing from the spirit of it. Having thus described my invention in certain exemplary embodiments, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

. 1. A knock-down container having at least one element of paperboard, and another element constituted of a plurality of panels of transparent, plastic, non-scorable sheeting, all in articulation, the line of articulation between the paperboard element and a sheeting panel being formed by a score line in said paperboard demarking a flange secured to said sheeting panel,

and the line of articulation between contiguous sheeting panels being formed by a strip of thin bendable substance adhered to marginal portions of said sheeting panels, and being substantially narrower than said panels.

2. The container claimed in claim 1, having a tubular body with articulated enclosing body walls, at least one of said body walls being formed from said paperboard element and at least two contiguous body walls being said panels of sheetmg.

10 3. The structure claimed in claim 2, having end closure means for said tubular body formed from the said paperboard element thereof.

ROBERT MORRIS BERGSTEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

1 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 831,415 Carnahan Sept. 18, 1906 1,488,634 Dunhan Apr. 1, 1924 1,572,296 Kramer Feb. 9, 1926 2,105,270 Scheffey Jan. 11, 1938 2,130,019 Meier Sept. 13, 1938 2,233,207 Gillam Feb. 25, 1941 2,236,858 Speeger Apr. 1, 1941 2,283,046 Clouston May 12, 1942 20 2,288,739 Peters July '1, 1942 2,290,144 Katz July 14, 1942 2,316,384 Abramson Apr. 13, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 25 Number Country Date Great Britain Oct. 31, 1940 

